Almighty painter

Chapter 1023 Talented Horses Are Common

To outsiders, Gu Weijing appears to be a "prince" who is breaking through one obstacle after another.

As knowledgeable as Jeremy Lynch is, he firmly believes that in their collaborative relationship, which has been the subject of much curiosity, attention, and scrutiny from the outside world, yet has always maintained a certain degree of mystery, there is something to it.

"Anna Elena" is the real magic flute.

Oh.

My friend.

"You are the real SUPERHERO!"

To be precise, the Elena family are the real superheroes, Homelander grinning from ear to ear.JPG!
Chollima often has it, but Bole doesn't often have it.

Princes are common.

The Magic Flute is not often seen.

With his extensive experience and keen insight, Vice President Lin Qi had already seen through all of this.

Gu Weijing's smooth journey has been due to his own strength, but more importantly, it's also thanks to the hard work of the old man under the table.

That was mostly the result of the Elena family's behind-the-scenes efforts.

Anna told Williams that if she wanted, she could make him the concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic next month and give him a solo recital in the Golden Hall.

No matter how much the Elena family may not have regained its former glory, it is still the Elena family.

If they are willing to allocate art resources, it is not difficult for them to hold a solo exhibition in a top art museum and sell a work by a new painter for one million euros.

Ever since Gu Weijing published his paper on Impressionism in Asian Art, he even suspected that it was all part of a plan orchestrated by the Elena family long ago.

The Elena family had secretly "prepared" this painting.

Gu Weijing was discovered, became famous, and won awards step by step. It's possible that even the works Gu Weijing participated in the biennial exhibition were not painted by himself.

This is not uncommon in the art world.

If it weren't for the subsequent sea robbery, which was so intense—with gunfights, falling into the sea, and wilderness survival, even Elena herself almost died—it would have been a disaster.

Lin Qicai had no choice but to believe it.

Okay, it doesn't look like an act, and most likely those paintings aren't fake either.

Gu Weijing is indeed a thoroughbred horse.

"For racehorses, winning a race will cause their value to skyrocket. They will be surrounded by a huge team, from nutritionists to massage therapists, and their feed may be flown in. The horse's owner will say with great affection, 'Oh, they are so beautiful, they are works of art, they are his family and friends.'"

"The world of horse racing is very simple: just keep winning. Win and create value for your jockey. You can live like royalty. You'll be pampered by a master, and in your free time, you can breed with other carefully selected and beautiful horses."

"On the contrary, if a racehorse worth a fortune breaks its leg on the track one day, do you know what the outcome will be?"

Lynch clasped his hands together, mimicking the tone of a gypsy fortune teller in a circus.

"You can ask your agent; the Elena family are real experts in these areas."

"Retired? Sold?"

Lily asked curiously.

The vice president made a throat-cutting gesture with his finger above his neck.

Euthanasia.

He said.

"They can no longer create enough value for the rider. Orthopedic surgery on racehorses is difficult and can lead to various complications, so... many owners will save their energy to find the next horse that can win them a championship, give it a royal life, call it a beautiful creature like a work of art, stroke its glossy mane, and say that it is their family and friends."

The value of racehorses to their owners is largely based on their ability to run like the wind on the track.

Count Elena said that he loved art so much that everything in the Elena family was built on art. Art is more durable than glory. All the artists were his close friends. He had a great time every day at the manor, having salons and parties, and drinking with his close friends.

When his own daughter actually went on to become a painter.

His Excellency the Imperial Earl was furious.

This attitude is just like how you treat racehorses, isn't it?
It's not that Miss Elena was as discriminatory as the previous Earl.

The 21st century is quite different from the 19th century. The young painter was fortunate to be born in an era in which "artists," or at least successful "artists," were so admired and respected, a rare occurrence in history.

From bars to opera houses, it was utterly unimaginable in the past thousand years that a professional painter with an encyclopedic entry would be cooler and more popular than some descendant of the Prince of Condé.

However, that was the "Elena family," not some impoverished noble family.

They always have an endless selection, and the stables always have an endless supply of magnificent horses that can gallop like the wind for them to choose from.

If a horse breaks its leg, just replace it with another one.

If ten horses break their legs, replace them with ten more.

The knight on horseback will forever be as swift as the wind.

"Keep it up, young man, I wish you continued success."
-
Many association members present were unaware of the conversation that took place in the box, or the blessing from Vice President Lynch. Their most vivid memories of that day often came after the performance of the opera *The Magic Flute*.

Some people have left.

The rest of the people gathered in the hall, chatting in small groups.

The old feast has ended, and the new feast begins.

The next part is time for plenty of socializing.

Perhaps because of the lively and cheerful atmosphere, the theater did not feel deserted at all; on the contrary, it felt more vibrant.

The huge school of fish dispersed into smaller groups of two or three.

They darted through the water, occasionally releasing a small bubble or two, while the clamor from the crowd grew louder and more joyful. The syllables, like bubbles, gradually rose to the surface, reflecting a kaleidoscope of colors under the spotlights on the opera house's rooftop.

For a short while.

A man… presumably a member of an opera company, began playing the piano at the edge of the stage, starting with a waltz and then transitioning to more free-flowing jazz. The soprano who played the villainous Queen of the Night in the musical *The Magic Flute* took off her shoes, stood barefoot on the stage, and began singing along to the music.

She had dark witch-like eye makeup on her face, but the tune she sang had become a playful, girlish style.

The crowd grew even more enthusiastic.

Men and women even went up on stage and danced to the music, observing the reactions of the people around them. This seemed to be a regular feature after every gathering.

The full name of the art association is the Hamburg Association of Painters and Musicians.

Williams is also one of the association's newest members.

As a violinist, he probably has a much deeper understanding of the opera house where Handel "started his career" than Gu Weijing, and he is even more popular and welcomed here than Gu Weijing.

Williams was surrounded by people around the stage, with the opera house's artistic director beside him.

“I saw your performance at the music academy before.”

The director was a serious man. Unlike the joking Vice President Lynch, he maintained a serious, humorless face typical of traditional Germans, even in such a joyous occasion.

“Extremely—”

"It impressed me."

After thinking for a moment, he spoke.

“I’ve been friends with your orchestra’s conductor, Blatche, for many years, and he recommended you to me.” “Really?”

Williams looked on in surprise, considering that just a year earlier he had yelled at the band conductor and thrown his violin bow.

This sounds incredibly unbelievable.

"He said... he sees the shadow of an outstanding violinist in you," the director said. "Mr. Miller of the orchestra is retiring next June. Have you considered coming to work at the opera house?"

Are you referring to the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra?

The violinist asked.

“Of course,” the artistic director said. “The Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra is an amphibious orchestra. In addition to providing music for major operas and ballets, it also holds about 30 independent concerts each year at opera houses and the Elbphilharmonie. Its performance schedule is very busy.”

“For young musicians, this is both a challenge and a learning experience. I can reserve a second violin position for you.”

"Handel once held that position?"

"The seat Handel once sat in." The artistic director nodded. "The orchestra still has the violin that Handel used. I have no doubt that you will have the right to use this violin until you are thirty years old."

The onlookers exchanged knowing glances.

Excluding substitutes, a standard symphony orchestra has two violinists, one first and one second.

Conventionally, such historically significant violins usually belong to the orchestra's first violinist.

According to the theater director, he was implying, or even explicitly stating—

If Williams performs well enough, he has the opportunity to become the concertmaster of the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra before he turns 30. Being the concertmaster of a renowned orchestra with a history spanning centuries is, in comparison, no less significant than a painter holding a solo exhibition in a prestigious art museum.

"Thank you, I am very honored."

Williams thought for a moment.

"But I need to discuss it with my agency before making a decision, is that okay?"

"of course."

The art director nodded.

……

A pebble was thrown into the lake.

Ripples spread.

"The theater's artistic director has invited Williams to join the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra." This news spread rapidly from the edge of the stage, carried by ripples on the water, to every fish, large and small, present.

Williams instantly became the focus of everyone's attention.

Vice President Lin Qi gazed at the young man who was being fawned over, secretly making comparisons in his mind.

If they were a pair of "mirror" twins, he would "favor" Williams more than Gu Weijing.

He had heard about Williams, knowing that he had once been in a slump, almost expelled from school, and then, through his own efforts, turned things around in the following twelve months. Rather than a supernova with a smooth ride, a story of someone who experienced obscurity and then blossomed again was more in line with Lynch's aesthetic.

The Elena family is very powerful.

He had a positive view of the Elena family, but he didn't have a positive view of Gu Weijing, nor did he have a positive view of the "cooperation" between Miss Elena and Gu Weijing.

Williams, on the other hand, is someone who has gradually gained recognition from critics step by step through his own efforts. Perhaps his journey is "slower," but it is more stable and enduring.

At the age of 30, he became the concertmaster of the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra?

God.

How can this be considered slow?

When Lin Qi addressed Gu Weijing, his words, "I wish you continued success," carried a certain degree of mockery.

Lynch, on the other hand, wanted to get to know Williams more sincerely than anything else.

at this time.

Someone in the crowd handed Williams a violin, and the members of the orchestra began to shout and make noise, which quickly turned into a rhythmic murmur.

"Newcomer solo."

"Newcomer solo."

"Newcomer solo."

This is a tradition in symphony orchestras.

When a newcomer is considered for a position in a symphony orchestra, the veteran members will invite them to stand in the center of the orchestra. Sometimes they will be asked to play a specific piece, and sometimes they will be given a spontaneous performance.

It serves both as a test of the musicians' abilities and as an icebreaker within the orchestra.

At this moment, the fact that everyone is making a fuss about it is clearly mostly driven by people wanting to watch the spectacle.

Williams was not intimidated.

He took the violin, jumped onto the stage, and stood in the center, like a seasoned superstar.

"Shhh."

He made a silencing gesture.

The crowd immediately fell silent.

"Hi! You upstairs."

He held the violin by the neck with one hand and lightly tapped it upwards with the bow with the other.

Everyone looked up and saw a young man leaning against the edge of the third-floor private box, his hands crossed under his chin, looking down at the audience.

"I don't need to introduce him, right? Gu Weijing. Over the past six months, many people have heard this name so many times that their ears are practically calloused."

"A true superstar, the most dazzling student at the Hamburg Art Academy."

Everyone laughed together.

Are we friends?

Williams answered his own question, "Probably not. When we first met, Gu Weijing said to me, 'Hello, Willie.' And I turned to my own agent and said, 'Did I give him permission to call me 'Willie'?'"

The smiles on everyone's faces were slightly stiff.

Should we continue to smile kindly, or what?

This kind of topic.

It seems to have slightly exceeded normal social etiquette and can no longer be explained simply as a "joke".

Those with better connections knew that Williams had outperformed Gu Weijing in the mid-term assessment of the Master Program, and they also recalled the story Williams had posted on his social media account about "Bach coming to Hamburg to compete for an art position."

The two of them seem to get along very badly.

Feng Shui turns.

Now that Gu Weijing has achieved so much, he has far surpassed Williams, and Williams must be very dissatisfied.

(End of this chapter)